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Patented Oct. 18,1898.

H. B. WINDRATH.

TOY.

(Application filed Apr. 18, 1898.)

(No Model.)

A4 4 ll iventol a Witnesses, 4 3&7?

THE NORRIS pzrzas co. PNOTO-UTHO,WASNINGTON. D, c.

HUGO B. \VINDRATII, OF BUFFALO, NEWV YORK.

TOY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 612,622, dated October 18, 1898.

Application filed April 18, 1898.

To (LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUGO B. YVINDRATH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toys, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved toy for the amusement of children, 850.; and the object is to provide a simple and cheap device consisting of a flexible tube formed of a suitable confection and having a pocket formed of spring-wire at one end adapted to form a spring-cushion to support a light ball or similar article, whereby a current of air forced through the tube will elevate and sustain the ball above the pocket, the pocket, by means of its springy character, serving to break the fall of the ball when the current is discontinued, all of which will be fully and clearly hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a side elevation, a portion of the upper end of the tube being in section to expose the manner of connecting the ball-pocket therewith, showing also a similar view of a ball forming a part of the device. Fig. 2 represents a top plan View of the device complete. side elevation of the ball-pocket, showing the preferred construction.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 represents the tube, which is preferably flexible and formed of licorice or other confection that a child may eat. The pocket, as shown in the drawings, is formed of a spirally-wound wire having its lower end 2 closely wound or coiled to form a screw portion, which is adapted to be embedded or screwed into the end of the tube, thereby detachably securing it thereto, the convolutions of the remaining portion above the screw portion 2 gradually enlarging in extent and widening in distance from each other to form a cone-shaped receptacle to receive the ball, the upper end 4 of the wire being bent diagonally downward and Fig. 3 is a detached Serial No. 6 77,933. (No model.)

inward and then looped around the preceding coil to fasten the end of the wire thereto, and the loop being of sufficient length to allow the top coil to bend downward a short dis tance (see Figs. 1 and 3) when struck by the ball, thus providing a spring of the tension of the first coil only to first receive and break the force of the fall, when the ball returns to the pocket.

The hollow ball 5 is constructed of paper, gelatin, or any other material su fliciently light to answer the purpose.

To operate the device, the tube is bent into the curved shape shown in Fig. 1, the ball is placed in the pocket substantially as indicated by dotted lines in said figure, and the opposite end of the tube placed in the mouth and a current of air blown through the tube, causing the ball to rise from the pocket.

I prefer to employ flexible tubes, as they can be packed in their straight condition in boxes for shipment and can be easily bent into the required form when required for use.

'I claim as my invention 1. A toy by means of which a ball is elevated bya current of air, comprisinga flexible tube and a pocket formed of spring-wire, having its lower end coiled loosely to form a screw portion adapted to be screwed into one end of the tube, the balance of the wire coiling diagonally upward in enlarging convolutions to provide a cone-shaped spring-receptacle for the ball, with its upper end bent diagonally inward and downward and looped around the preceding coil, as set forth.

2. A toy by which a ball is sustained at an elevation by means of a current of air, comprising a flexible tube and a spirally-wound spring wire pocket having its lower end screwed in the tube end thereby forming a spring-cushion to receive the ball when the current of air is discontinued, as set forth.

HUGO B. WVINDRATH.

Witnesses:

G. A. NEUBAUER, A. J. SANGSTER, 

